Hybridization on Test

[Samantha Pacheco 2K]

If we are trying to determine hybridization of an atom and we are given a structure but an atom in that structure does not have a full octet, do we assume that their is/are lone pairs?

[Jonathan Zhao 4H]

Yes. For instance, oxygen is often displayed without its lone pairs, so we must account for them when determining hybridization.

[Alana Sur 3B]

Yes because we consider a lone pair as one region of electron density, which you need to determine the hybridization.

[Ahmed Mahmood 4D]

Yes--just because lone pairs are not written in a diagram does not always mean they are not there. As such, they must be accounted for in determining hybridization.